Ventilated curtain



Dec. 8, 1964 1 J. L. CULPEPPER 3,160,199

VENTILATED CURTAIN Filed May 27, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR l 11.0211. PEP/ 56 24- 2? )5 j'rZY f,

ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1964 I J. CULPEPPER VENTILATED CURTAIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27, 1965 V/lll/ INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,16ti,199 VENTILA'IED (IURTAIN James L. (Iulpepper, Cicero, Ill. (4558 Arcady, Dallas 5, Tex.) Filed May 27, 1963, Ser. No. 283,370 4 Claims. (Cl. 160-436) This invention relates to a novel construction of curtain primarily adapted for use on porches and elsewhere under circumstances where it is desirable to provide ventilation and light while affording privacy, since the light rays are caused to bend in passing through open ings of the curtain in such a manner as to obliterate images or shadows that would otherwise be visible through the curtain from the exterior thereof, in order that the curtain may afford privacy without excluding air and light.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a curtain or screen which is formed of plastic, enabling the curtain to be very economically manufactured and insuring that certain of the curtain portions, bordering the openings therein, will afiord smooth rounded surfaces which will enhance the light ray bending phenomenon by which vision through the curtain from the exterior side thereof toward the inner side is substantially obstructed.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a plastic curtain which may be produced in various colors and which will not be damaged by the elements.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view looking toward the outer or back side of the blank from which the curtain or screen is formed;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view of the partially fabricated curtain or screen;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the complete curtain or screen;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary edge elevational view looking from left to right of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional views taken substantially along planes as indicated by the lines 77, 88 and 9-9 respectively, of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line Iii-16 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a portion of a slightly modified curtain or screen, and

FIGURE 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the modified curtain or screen, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line I2I2 of FIGURE 11.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and first with reference to FIGURES 1 to 10, the curtain or screen in its entirety and as illustrated therein is designated generally 15 and is formed from an extruded plastic blank 16, is illustrated in FIGURE 1, which includes a rectangular plastic sheet 17. The sheet 17 has a fiat smooth outer or rear side 18. A plurality of long slender rod-like elements I? are formed integral with and project from the opposite inner or front side 28 of the sheet 17. Said rodlike elements 19 each extends transversely across the sheet 17 and are disposed thereon in spaced apart substantially parallel relation to one another, as seen in FIGURES 3 and 5. As seen in FIGURES 5 to 10, the rod-like elements 19 are preferably hollow or tubular 3,169,199 Patented Dec. 8, 1964 and, as seen in FIGURES 7 to 9, said elements 19 are preferably substantially cylindrical in cross section, with the exception of the portions thereof which are integrally joined to the sheet 17.

As seen in FIGURE 2, elongated openings vor slots 21 are cut through the sheet 17. The slots 21 are arranged in two rows disposed longitudinally of the sheet 17, with the individual slots 21 extending transversely of the sheet and with the slots of the two rows disposed in spaced apart aligned relation to one another. After the slots 21 have been formed in the sheet 17, said sheet includes a solid border including a top portion 22, a bottom 23 and side portions 24 and 25. The sheet 17 also includes a solid longitudinally extending intermediate portion 26 which is disposed between the slots 21 of the two longitudinal rows and which extends from the top portion 22 to the bottom portion 23. The sheet portions 24, 25 and 26 form strap members or web members for supporting the rod-like elements 19 in spaced apart substantially parallel relation to one another, as seen in FIGURE 3. As seen in FIGURES 2 and 9, the spacing between the rod-like elements 19 is less than the width of the slots 21, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

The structure as previously described, and as illus trated in FIGURE 2, could constitute the complete curtain or screen; however, the curtain or screen preferably includes at least two reinforcements, each designated generally 27 and each preferably including a strip of fabric 28 or a plurality of strands of thread encased in a plastic coating 29. The reinforcement members 27 are of a length corresponding to the length of the sheet 17 and are of a width corresponding to the Width of the strap members 24 and 25. Said reinforcement members 27 are heat or solvent welded to the rear or outer sides of the strap members 24 and 25, as indicated by the broken lines 30 in FIGURES 5, 7 and 10.

The curtain or screen 15 is preferably flexible and is preferably formed from a vinyl plastic and may obviously be produced invarious colors. The curtain or screen 15 may be utilized as a porch screen, in the same manner as a conventional bamboo screen and may be suspended in any suitable manner from its top portion 22 so as to appear, when viewed from the inside of a porch, as seen in FIGURE 3. In addition to the fact that the plastic screen or curtain 15 may be made in various colors to harmonize with porch furniture and other decorations, the plastic will withstand the effects of weather and will not be faded by the sun. The slots 21 and the spaces 31 between the adjacent rod-like elements 19, which are in registration with said slots, will afford ventilation through the curtain 15 and will additionally permit light rays to pass inwardly through the curtain or screen. The rounded exterior surfaces 32 of the rodlike elements 19, defining the spaces 31, will cause light rays passing outwardly through the curtain 15 to bend, as indicated by the arrow-tipped lines 33 in FIGURE 9. This light phenomenon will be enhanced by the fact that the surfaces 32 being constructed of a vinyl plastic will remain smooth and polished. This bending of the light rays 33 helps to obliterate any image or shadow which might otherwise be visible through the curtain from the outer side thereof, thereby affording privacy to the occupants of the porch while permitting the passage of air and light through the curtain to the porch.

It will also be apparent that the curtain could be hung with the rod-like elements 19 disposedvertically rather than horizontally as a drape. The curtain 15 may be made in various Widths and lengths and may include a greater or lesser number of the strap members 24, 25 and 26 and, for larger curtains, may include a greater number of the reinforcement members 27.

FIGURES 11 and 12 illustrate a slightly modified form |f the curtain, designated generally 34, which includes ubular rod-like elements 35, corresponding to the elements 19, and which are connected to one another in paced apart relation by web members 36. The curtain i4 may be provided with three longitudinal rows of said veb members 36, disposed similar to the strap members 24, 25 and 26, to form slots 37 between the longitudinal ows of web members and between the adjacent rod-like :lements 35. The web members of the outer rows may )e provided with'reinforcement means similar to therenforcement means'27. The curtain 34 difiers primarily mm the curtain 15 in that the web members 36 are lisposed in the center planes of the rod-like elements 5, as seen in FIGURE 12, so that when the sheet, not hown, of which the Web members 36 form parts, is :ut to form the slots 37, the sheared edges 38 will :onstitute flat surfaces. The flat surfaces 38will destroy he symmetry of the exterior portions of the rod-like :lements 35 bordering the slots 38 so that light rays assing outwardly through the curtain 34 will not be is effectively bent as with the surfaces 32 of the curain 15.

In all of the views of the drawings, the cross sectional izes of the rod-like elements 19 and 35 and the spaces herebetween have been exaggerated for clarity. In irder to produce an optimum condition for achieving the hadowless characteristic of either the curtain 15 or 34, he spaces 31 and 37 should be of a width between the :lements 19 and 35, respectively, not greater than /2 of 111 =lI1JCl1 and the elements 19 and 35 should have a diam- :ter not less than A3 of an inch.

Various other modifications and changes are contemnlated and may be-resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A ventilated curtain comprising a flexible rectangular sheet having a substantially fiat outer side and an inner side, a plurality of long slender elements protruding from and forming a part of said inner side, said elements being disposed in spaced apart substantially parallel relation to one another, and said sheet ihav'ing openings of a width greater than the spacing between said elements and disposed in alignment with the spaces between the elements.

2. A ventilated curtain as in claim 1, said openings including two rows of openings, the :openings of said rows being spaced from one another and from the edges of the sheet.

3. A ventilated curtain as in claim 1, the portions of said elements protruding from said inner side being of rounded cross section.

4. A ventilated curtain as in claim 1, said sheet being formed of a plastic material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,111,108 3/38 Bolyard 160-231 3,014,524 12/61 Rembert 160--166 FOREIGN PATENTS 40,213 8/87 France. 821,005 8/37 France.

93,464 8/97 Germany. 551,546 10/56 Belgium.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A VENTILATED CURTAIN COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE RECTANGULAR SHEET HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT OUTER SIDE AND AN INNER SIDE, A PLURALITY OF LONG SLENDER ELEMENTS PROTRUDING FROM AND FORMING A PART OF SAID INNER SIDE, SAID ELEMENTS BEING DISPOSED IN SPACED APART SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER, AND SAID SHEET HAVING OPENINGS OF A WIDTH GREATER THAN THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID ELEMENTS AND DISPOSED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SPACES BETWEEN THE ELEMENTS. 